topography of the village (and town) of Herkimer

The
following is a direct republishing of a similarly named section in the historic
Master Plan (1962) that was produced but never ratified by the Village Government:The Town and
Village of Herkimer are in what may be described as a very hilly lowland belt,
traversed by the narrow, rather deeply cut valley of the Mohawk River. The
floor of this valley is generally at an elevation of approximately 400 feet
above Sea level with a rise to about 5.00 feet along the bluff delineating the
valley floor.
This bluff
is quite close to the river in some sections though nearly two miles from the
river at the Village itself. Consequently a considerable plain exists there and
this provided an excellent, site for 'the original settlement. Northof the bluff and to the east of the West Canada Creek, the land is
rolling and reaches an elevation of 800 to 900 feet with a maximum of over
1,000 feet inside of the Town boundaries. On the west side of the Creek, however, the topography is much
more hilly with elevations some 200 to 300 feet higherthan the eastern portion
of the town. Further to the north, above Kast Bridge, the maximum elevation is over 1,600 feet above
sea level.While
the entire area was once a plain, considerable erosion has changed the plain
into a very hilly area so that little evidence other than the relative
accordance of the hilltops remains. The land farm is now characterized by many
streams and drainage ways in sharp-edged gullies and generally steep slopes.
The only really extensive plain areas are flood plain along the West Canada
Creek and the Mohawk River, with the alluvial fan from the West Canada Creek
the largest such deposit. This is the present location of the Village of
Herkimer and before urbanization, the land was excellent farm land and one of
the primary reasons the site was chosen for the first settlement. There is much
natural beauty in the landscape, but such a land form is difficult to farm by
machinery, except where the land is only gently rolling, as in the area just
north of East Herkimer.

SoilsMany
varieties of soils are found in the Herkimer area; four types are of
particular importance due to the quantities and locations involved. They are:

Mohawk Silt Loam. Found generally
throughout the Town on both sides of the West Canada Creek on higher level hill
land. On the west side of the creek this soil is usually bordered by steep,
broken land. Surface drainage is good. The soil may be easily cultivated and if
well managed is quite productive of corn, oats and hay. Much of this land in
the Town is devoted to pasturage and is excellent for the purpose.

Allis Silt Loam. Found in moderate
quantities in the Town, particularly near Beacon Light Corners on high land.
This soil is also well suited for pasture. Surface drainage is good or even
excessive. Internal drainage is retarded because of the compact, impervious
subsoil. The principal crops are hay, oats and some corn, primarily for silage.
Yields are generally somewhat lower than for the Mohawk Silt Loam.

Otisville Fine Sandy. Found in the eastern
portion of the Town but generally to the north of East Herkimer, this soil is
best suited for vegetables though reasonably productive for hay and silage. Due
to the sand and gravel in the subsoil the soil is well drained and in dry
seasons excessively well drained. Generally excellent for intensive farming.

Palmyra Gravelly Loam. Found throughout the
Town but particularly along streams. Nearly all of the bottom lands along the
West Canada Creek and the Mohawk River, including the site of the Village of
Herkimer, are of this category. Surface and internal drainage is good. This
soil is considered to be one of the best in the area for farming, especially
for truck crops.

In addition
to these four major soil types, three other categories are of importance but
rather than classified by composition of the soil they are classified by
condition. These are steep, broken land, poorly drained meadowland and rough,
stony land. More than 20 Percent of the southern half of Herkimer Country is
thus classified and considerable of this is in the Town of Herkimer,
particularly on the west side of the creek.It should be
noted that the portion of the Town east of West Canada Creek is particularly
well suited for intensive cultivation, both in terms of soils present as well
as general topography. On the west of the creek, however, the land is very
steep and a large portion is unsuited to the use of machines. This land can
best be utilized as pasturage. As the land to the east of the creek is one of
the prime natural resources of the Town, every effort· should be made to
conserve and preserve this land for agricultural purposes. Urban growth should
be encouraged in those areas where farming is not as productive. …
Consequently, it is believed that any major new residential growth should be
encouraged to the north and west of the Village of Herkimer where the land is
less valuable for farming than in the East Herkimer area.

The steep slope map, together with the map of the drainage pattern will
also be found to be an excellent guide to those areas where particular
attention should be given to the design of new subdivisions. Where land is more
or less level, there is little problem in designing a subdivision for the best
use of the land and to make the best arrangement of streets and lots for a
pleasant neighborhood. On the other hand, when the slope of the land is above
10 to 15 percent, drainage and slope problems are intensified a great deal, and
many additional considerations must be kept in mind when designing a
subdivision.